Aries's POV
*ContinuationOfFlashback...*
I hear something. A repeated beeping sound, followed by the sound of air.
I slowly opened my eyes, but my vision was blurry. So blurry!
"He's awake," I heard a woman say.
I tried to move my gaze in a different direction. It was still blurry, but I could see some movement and a light. I attempted to open my mouth to speak, but my throat was dry. I couldn't move properly, and my entire chest ached.
"Check the vitals," a male voice said. After a while, my vision gradually adjusted. I understood now.
I'm still alive, and I'm in a hospital.
Soon, the memories of what happened came flooding back—why I was in the hospital, why I was struggling.
Jay tried to kill me!
"The operation was successful. The patient is clearly showing good signs," the doctor said to Kuya Angelo.
I touched my ribs—where the glass had stabbed me. It felt like a nightmare. My emotions were all over the place.
"Is there something wrong, Aries?" Mama asked.
I shook my head. "When can I go home?"
"A week or two from now. It depends on how soon you can stand up," the doctor replied.
I wanted to get out. This place gave me a strange feeling. I hated staying in hospitals.
We all turned to the door when we heard a knock. It opened, and Percy, Yuri, and Keifer entered. They were carrying a cake, ice cream, and balloons. The doctor excused himself and left. Kuya followed him.
"Hello, Tita!" Percy greeted Mama cheerfully.
"Hello as well. Thank you for coming," Mama replied.
"Sorry, Tita, this is all we could bring. We didn't know what to bring," Yuri said as he placed the cake on the table near us.
"That's okay. Looks like you three will be the ones eating that. Aries still isn't allowed to eat," Mama explained, and they all turned to look at me.
"Poor you, bro... I'll eat for you then," Percy said with a grin. "...How's the new circumcision?"
Keifer immediately smacked him on the head, probably noticing how my expression hadn't changed.
I couldn't smile. I just couldn't!
"Are you okay?" Yuri asked me.
I slowly nodded. "I-I just woke up."From a nightmare.
"I think he needs more rest," Keifer said.
"N-no. It's okay. I actually prefer that you guys are here."
"That's great! Let's celebrate your birthday! Though it's a bit late," Percy said while opening the cake box.
Yuri tied the balloons to a chair but left one. Keifer lit the candle on the cake.
🎶 "Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday... Happy Birthday, Aries!" 🎶 they sang as they brought the cake closer to me.
They blew party horns and popped confetti.
I forced a smile, even though, in reality, I felt nothing.
I think my heart has gone numb.
"T-thank you," I said and blew out the candle.
The moment I looked up, I saw Jay-jay at the door.
She was holding a gift and wearing a patient gown. But when I blinked, the Jay-jay I saw was holding a shard of glass, covered in blood.
I flinched, and the pain in my wound made Percy panic.
"Bro! Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'll call the doctor," Mama said and hurried out.
When I looked again, Jay was gone. Slowly, I caught my breath.
"I-I'm okay," I said and lay back down.
The doctor arrived with Mama. They checked me briefly, but I convinced them that I had just moved the wrong way, causing my wound to hurt.
I told Mama to go home and rest since she clearly hadn't had any sleep. She agreed, leaving the three of them with me. Silently, I watched as Percy and Yuri fought over the ice cream.
Occasionally, I glanced at the door, feeling like Jay might walk in again at any moment.
"Who was that?" Keifer asked, making me look at him. "...The girl at the door earlier."
He saw Jay-jay.
I shook my head. "N-no one."
"Then why do you look affected?" he asked again.
"I-I was just surprised."
He didn't ask again, but he kept staring at me like he was studying me. He could always tell when someone was lying to him.
I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see her face. Even her blood-stained hands won't leave my mind.
My own sister tried to kill me.
"Aries..." Kuya called me. "...what's wrong?"
"N-nightmares."
"You have trauma. Expect nightmares almost every night," he said, walking to the table to get some water. "...We can visit a psychiatrist if you want."
He handed me a glass of water. I took a sip before answering.
"I don't think that's necessary."
I gave the glass back to him. He placed it back on the table and returned to his seat.
I lay down properly and tried to close my eyes again. But every time her image came back to my mind, my breathing felt tighter.
"So quiet. Must be constipated," Percy said.
He probably thought I didn't know he was talking about me. I shot him a glare.
"Don't tease him. He might punch you," Yuri said before taking a sip from the can he was holding.
The idiot just grinned at me before taking a bite of his fries. I was jealous of them. They could eat whatever they wanted, while I was still stuck with soft food.
"To be honest, I don't feel full eating this," Keifer said, setting the pizza box on the table.
The pizza was finished, and he still wasn't full?
"Yeah, pizza isn't really filling," Percy chimed in.
"When can you leave the hospital?" Yuri asked me.
"Next week, they said."
"That's too long!" Percy complained, lying down on the sofa.
"Why do you ask?"
Yuri shook his head. "It's boring here."
"And it makes me hungry," Keifer added as he searched for more food on the table.
"You guys can eat outside. I can take care of myself. If anything happens, I'll call a nurse."
Percy quickly sat up. "Let's go. Aries will be fine."
The idiot was already walking to the door, but before he could open it, Yuri stopped him.
"Are you stupid? Aries is a patient. We shouldn't leave him alone," Yuri said irritably.
"Don't treat Aries like a baby," Keifer countered. "...He can clearly take care of himself."
I sighed. It looked like they were about to argue because of me.
"Go on. I'm fine. Just don't take too long," I said, waving them away.
"Are you sure?" Yuri asked.
"Yes."
Yuri nodded and stood up. "We'll be back soon."
I nodded as well and watched them leave. But before the door could fully close, something stopped it. My brows furrowed in confusion.
Slowly, someone peeked inside.
Slowly, my breathing tightened, and my wound ached. I turned my head away and shut my eyes.
"A-Aries..." she called.
I couldn't breathe. I clutched the blanket tightly. I couldn't move. It felt like I was trapped in a small space.
"How are you? Sorry, I just got here. I've been feeling dizzy a lot," she said.
Even without looking, I knew she was coming closer. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I opened my eyes and saw Jay standing beside me, looking at me.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you want me to call a doctor?" she asked.
I quickly shook my head.
I looked at her bandaged hands. There were bruises on her face—wounds from when we were kidnapped. She also had a bandage on her head.
As I stared at her, I realized—I couldn't stay calm when she was near.
"You had visitors earlier, right? I saw them leave," she said, glancing at my friends' leftover food.
I couldn't answer.
My heart was beating too fast, and I had a terrible feeling that something bad would happen if she stayed any longer.
"...By the way..." she suddenly turned serious. "...I wanted to ask what happened to your dad. I don't remember much."
A sharp pain shot through my chest, and I clutched it.
Jay immediately panicked and tried to move closer, but my arm moved on its own, pushing her away.
"Don't!" I shouted. "Don't touch me."
"Aries. I'm calling the doctor."
"No!"
I looked at her. For some reason, all I felt toward her was hatred.
"P-please... Jay. Don't come near me. D-don't talk to me anymore."
I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have pushed Jay away, but what else could I do? I just couldn't handle being near her.
"You're all so quiet!" Percy suddenly shouted, grabbing our attention.
Even Keifer and Yuri hadn't spoken much since we met up.
"I'm bored," Keifer answered.
"I'm tired," Yuri said.
"I'm thinking," I added.
"I'm handsome," Percy said.
We all turned to look at him at the same time, raising an eyebrow. At least he could still joke and smile despite everything.
"Do you guys wanna go out?" he asked. "...Let's go to Danger's Hills."
That place was far from here. It was a road known for accidents because of its steep curves and downhill slopes. On top of that, it was dark, with barely any cars passing through. The edges of the road led to cliffs, making it extremely dangerous.
"We don't have a car," Keifer pointed out.
"Dude! You inherited a fortune, and you still don't have a car?" Percy teased, making Keifer glare at him.
"I can buy as many cars as I want. But I don't have a license to drive them."
"Man, you guys are unlucky..." Percy smirked. "...One more year and I can at least get a student license."
"Wait for us to get our licenses. Our cars will be way better than yours," Yuri added.
Seeing that Percy wasn't about to back down from the argument, I spoke up to end the conversation.
"Let's just use Kuya's car," I said flatly.
They all turned to me and nodded. I knew Kuya wasn't home, and he hadn't taken the car with him.
We went back to my house to carry out the plan. I peeked through the door first to make sure no one would see me, then had Percy open the gate. The car keys were in Kuya's room. I carefully walked inside. He never locked his door because Mama didn't like it.
I quickly spotted the keys on his study table, grabbed them, and rushed back out to the car. I would be the one driving since I was the only one who knew how. Kuya had taught me.
I started the car and drove it out of the house while the others closed the gate behind us. Once everything was set, they got in.
"Let's go! Let's go!" Percy said excitedly from the passenger seat.
Keifer and Yuri sat in the back. I drove carefully, making sure not to attract the attention of the police and risk getting caught.
"Let's stop by a convenience store and buy some food," Yuri suggested.
We quickly agreed. I parked at the nearest convenience store while Yuri and Percy went inside. Keifer and I stayed in the car, and silence filled the space.
"Are you okay?" Keifer suddenly asked, breaking the quiet.
"H-huh?"
"Ever since you got out of the hospital, you've changed a lot."
Here he goes again.
"I-it's nothing... I just haven't been sleeping well."
He didn't say anything else, but he gave me a meaningful look. His overthinking was kicking in again.
Why was this guy born so smart? He was too good at reading people. Weird.
I turned to look at the road outside. Yuri and Percy were crossing the street, each carrying two plastic bags. But what confused me was how heavy one of Percy's bags seemed. Once they got in the car, I immediately checked what they had bought.
I frowned when I saw beer cans among the items.
"Percy… we're all minors," I reminded him.
He grinned widely. "Right now, we are the law."
I smacked my forehead. There was nothing I could do. They had already bought it. I just wouldn't drink.
So this was it? This was the so-called "Danger's Hills"? It was just an uphill road filled with curves. We were now at the highest point of the hill, where we had a clear view of the city.
"Why aren't you drinking?" Percy asked, annoyed.
Yuri answered for me. "He's driving, and he just got out of the hospital."
I turned my back to them and looked at the city again. Everything looked so small, like tiny toy buildings.
"Aries..." Keifer called.
I looked at him, and there it was again—that strange way he observed me. He took a swig of his beer.
"...You still haven't told us what happened to you."
I shook my head. "Maybe next time."
"Now, man!" Percy insisted. "...What did your kidnapper do to you?"
"Typical stuff."
"Like in the movies?" Yuri asked.
I moved closer and sat beside them. "Yeah."
Silence fell over us. They were waiting for me to speak, but I wasn't ready to tell them yet.
I subconsciously touched my wound…..It was healing.
But the wound inside me wasn't.
Jay-jay.
"That's scary," Percy said. "...I need to be careful."
We all looked at him in confusion.
"Why would you need to be careful?" Yuri asked.
"What if someone kidnaps me too? I mean, I'm ridiculously handsome. What if I already have a stalker and I just don't know it?"
We all grimaced at the same time.
If anyone should be worried about getting kidnapped, it was Keifer. He had a massive inheritance waiting for him—from his grandparents all the way to what he inherited from his mother.
"On a serious note, guys… if anything ever happens to me, take care of my siblings… and Freya."
We all turned serious and looked at him. What he said was unsettling.
"No way," Keifer answered instantly.
Percy glared at him. "Oh, so that's how it is?"
"If I say yes, you'll just get reckless and let something bad happen to you," Keifer explained.
"Of course, it's not like that!" Percy defended.
"Nothing bad is going to happen to you, because you are already the worst thing that happened to us," Yuri joked.
Percy was about to lunge at him when he suddenly stopped.
"Wait… is it drizzling?" he said, tilting his head up and holding out his hand.
I looked up too, waiting to feel it, but instead of a drizzle, the rain poured down heavily. We all panicked, scrambling to grab our food before rushing into the car.
"Why is it raining?!" Keifer shouted angrily.
"Probably because you don't shower," Percy replied, earning himself a chokehold from Keifer.
"Aahhhh... o-ow!"
"Cut it out," Yuri said, and Keifer finally let go.
The rain grew even heavier. Even with the headlights on, we could barely see outside.
"Let's wait until it slows down," Yuri suggested.
I glanced at the small digital clock near the steering wheel. Kuya was probably home by now. I was so screwed.
"We can't stay here too long," I said, trying to start the car, but I really couldn't see anything.
"Don't force it. We might get into an accident," Yuri warned, so I was forced to stop.
"Let's just stay here for now," Percy said, reclining his seat slightly to lie down.
I followed their suggestion. We waited for the rain to ease up. Almost an hour had passed, and Keifer had fallen asleep from boredom—no surprise there. He was impatient as hell.
After about an hour and a half, I decided to start the car. I knew we were being looked for. To make things worse, the sky was getting darker, which only made driving more difficult.
"It's dangerous, man…" Percy warned.
"No choice. If we wait any longer, it'll be even harder to drive in the dark."
He didn't argue and just let me do my thing.
I drove slowly since the road was downhill. But as if the heavy rain wasn't bad enough, a sudden flash of lightning struck, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
Keifer jolted awake, clearly on edge.
"Aries… stop. It's really dangerous," Yuri said, concerned.
Frustrated, I was forced to stop again. It was annoying!
Kuya and Mama were going to kill me.
We waited again for the rain to let up, but it didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon.
I turned on the radio, hoping to listen to some music, but the signal was dead.
"There's no signal here," Percy said, not even looking at me.
I angrily turned it off. I needed to prepare myself for Kuya's lecture. And I needed a solid excuse for why I took his car.
I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.
While trying to think of a way out of this mess, a loud thunderclap suddenly roared.
And the moment I opened my eyes…
I saw Jay-jay's face.
My breathing tightened again. Sweat dripped down my face, even though the car's air conditioning was on.
My hands trembled and I gripped the steering wheel, and I started the car.
"Dude… wait until later," Percy said, sitting up straight.
I ignored him and kept driving.
My wound ached in sync with my racing heartbeat.
"Are you okay, Aries?" Yuri asked.
"W-we need to get home."
Percy and Yuri just shrugged and started talking about things I couldn't even comprehend. I didn't pay attention.
All I could think about was getting home. The sky darkened faster due to the storm.
We were now at the dangerous part of Danger's Hills. I tried to calm myself down. We were approaching the curve when lightning flashed again.
And in the middle of the road, I saw Jay-jay.
Her hands were covered in blood, holding a shattered piece of glass.
I didn't even realize what I was doing. I shut my eyes and instinctively swerved the steering wheel—
A huge mistake.
"ARIES!!"